1. Technical Field
The embodiments of the present invention are directed to a radio communication system and more specifically to a method and apparatus that synchronize radio nodes using preambles in a radio communication system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general cellular communication systems, up to three distinctive preamble carrier sets are provided at a frequency axis to distinguish adjacent cells. However, more preamble carrier sets are required in an environment where multiple neighboring nodes communicate with each other, e.g., in a mesh network system. In the case of using, as is, preambles used for an ordinary cellular communication system, nodes using the same preamble carrier set may cause serious interference to each other thus rendering it difficult to perform synchronization through the preambles.
Synchronization processes through ordinary preambles are individually performed for each node rather than being done for the entire neighboring nodes at the same time. When interference signals from other nodes are stronger than signals from the to-be-synchronized nodes, capability of synchronization may undergo serious influence. Accordingly, there is a need for a method that can exactly perform synchronization when multiple nodes simultaneously perform synchronization in an environment where multiple adjacent nodes communicate with each other or when a single node conducts synchronization in an interference environment.